Hi RC–

I would not put ear piercing in the same category as having a kid’s head sliced with a razor.  As to male circumcision, it’s less barbaric than it used to be and has been shown to prevent problems later in life.  Many adult males undergo circumcision because of chronic problems.  The process started out as ritual and ended up having medical benefit in many cases.

Best–

MRE 

Indeed! 

Pun intended?”

Ha ha, that one went right past me when I wrote it so the joke’s on me!

My comment about the pics was a bit tongue-in-cheek, however as I rather like winter weather. I actually moved up here from Southern AZ for that reason. What sort of bothers me is how the folks around here act like the snow and ice is just about the worst thing that’s ever happened to them. Lord help us all if we should ever have a real disaster here, they’d never be able to cope. It’s all the cattle out on the plains that I feel for.

Hi Esther–

Well, I’m glad someone likes the cold weather.  I like it in theory, but whenever I actually get in it as I was a couple of weeks ago in Colorado Springs, I realize how much I hate it.

Cheers–

MRE 

Hey mrfreddy–

I’ll put you down in that column.  It might make me have to do more drinking and gambling just to have something to write about, but, hey, someone’s got to do it.  BTW, do you have a hot tip on the Super Bowl?

Cheers–

MRE 

What makes this so heinous, is that the children are too young to chose this for themselves with any level of self awareness.
The parents make a decision that breaks trust forever, and is blatantly physical abuse.

This is really cultural and not religious. I don’t think you will find this in the Koran, this comes from the culture that was there before Mohammad, as does the attitude that women and children are property without the ability to give or withhold consent.

Hi LC–

I agree completely. I’m glad the Shiite woman who gave the quote had sense enough to see that as well.

Best–

MRE

Hi gallier2–

I’ll put your vote in that column.  Thanks for the feedback.

Best–

MRE 

The ironic bit is where the man justifies their crying etc in regards to the children with the comment that it is because they don’t understand…

That makes it even more cruel, does it not? To break your childrens trust like that. I hate to think the mental effect on these children that all these extreme leaps of faith bring.

Hi Sherrie–

I can’t imagine doing something like that to a child.  Of course, I wasn’t reared in that culture.  If I had been, maybe I would look upon it differently.  But to my eyes it is a savage, uncivilized, tribal form of behavior that one would think would have died out in today’s modern world.

Best–

MRE 

It’s a good thing then that your parents never took a razor to your head.  You could have been scarred for life.

Cheers–

MRE 

I look forward to your posts, and so far I think I’ve read/watched everything!

Hi Cindy–

Thanks for the feedback and thanks for reading/watching.  I’ll keep trying to make it worthwhile.

Cheers–

MRE 

Then again, maybe not. I vote libertarian — post whatever the hell you want.

Hmmm… No, I’d better not.  I’ll tally your vote as a keep it as it is.

Cheers–

MRE